Tamim and Wagner epitomise seesaw day

Cricket365
October 21, 2013

Seamer Neil Wagner and batsman Tamim Iqbal's battled for dominance, as Bangladesh reached 228 for five on a rain-affected day one of the second and final Test at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Monday.

Host skipper Mushfiqur Rahim's decision to bat first after winning the toss received an early worry, as opener Anamul Haque was caught by slip fielder Kane Williamson off the bowling of left-armer Trent Boult.

The right-handed Marshall Ayub and Iqbal, however, soon rectified proceedings with a steady 67-run alliance for the second wicket. The pair were reasonably combative in their collective approach, which would have read considerably shorter had wicketkeeper BJ Watling and the veteran Brendon McCullum not dropped a catch each.

Wagner, justifying selection ahead of spinner Bruce Martin, was eventually at hand to remove Ayub for 41. The talented Bangladeshi endured a rare slip in concentration, missing a straight delivery to be castled.

First Test centurion Mominul Haque and Tamim were left to pick up the charge, adding a 76-run alliance at a brisk rate by capitalising on a visiting attack lined with the services of the inexperienced Corey Anderson and Ish Sodhi.

Seamer Anderson had the final say, though, dismissing Mominul with a relatively wide delivery, which should have been left alone. Instead, Watling welcomed a thick edge. Tamim and former skipper Shakib Al Hasan, too, threatened to move to greater heights.

Iqbal, alas, perished for 95 – to give Wagner a second wicket. Five runs short of what would have been a fifth career century, the opening batsman's bid to punt a shorter ball over the slip cordon resulted in disappointment, with the agile Kane Williamson securing an outstanding catch.

Shakib departed soon thereafter, with inclement weather ensuring an early tea break. The rain didn't relent, and play was called off at 15:40 local time (09:40 GMT). Rahim, unbeaten on 14, and aspiring all rounder Sohag Gazi, yet to get off the mark, will target a 350-plus total come Tuesday.